The biggest story here is definitely the buzzer allegations re: Santana. I would not be surprised if the Asmussen/Santana combo is a little cold for the next week or two at Oaklawn.

You could pretty much create a video like this for all equestrian sport.

that is sad.

:tro:

PETA should go undercover for the same amount of time with a small time vet treating trail and private pleasure/pasture horses and see what ails some and how these animals suffer due to a lack of care/attention.

Ever see a horse with unclipped/neglected hooves? Starving because their mouths are too sore to eat because of unfiled teeth? It's nauseating and is deserving of a violent response.

no, but it's true. you could selectively edit anything. you could make mother theresa out to be a monster if you wanted to. or find someone who has no idea about something, and get them to think the worst.

if you knew nothing about racing, and i said riders carry crops and hit horses with them, would you understand why? or would you just take it to mean riders hit horses for no good reason?

New York State Gaming Commission Launches Investigation Into Allegations Of Abuse And Mistreatment Of Race Horses By Trainer Steve Asmussen, Assistant Trainer Scott Blasi And Other Licensed Individuals

NY Gaming Commission Press Release

now...why am i suddenly thinking of the big to do and investigation at old friends? the one that turned up nothing, but cost a great foundation a lot of money.

Are you thinking of TRF? There was the big investigation with NY Times BS where TRF was vindicated.

I really think that undercover investigation of PETA idea has merit. Not looking forward to the Belmont this year when we all know there'll be some sort of PETA drama that the governor will swallow hook, line, and sinker. Another detention barn they decide on at the last minute, perhaps?

yeah, that is it.

the main thing i took away from the video is zayat probably won't send any more horses to a trainer whose assistant calls him the dreaded 'c' word.

Not apples to apples

found it interesting Angel Cordero's face was not blurred out at dinner when Blasi was talking about horses not making it to the track and dying.

No, in fact she argued just the opposite on these boards.

Yeah, that was sarcasm. I argued the opposite. At least one prominent vet agrees with me.

:tro:

My apologies. I think all my anger at the carriage horse craziness (holy heck, who knew so much bias against the Irish still existed?) has broken my sarcasm detector.

I did notice that somewhere between the PETA video and at least one news article about it, that "In Europe Lasix is illegal.... on race days" became "In Europe Lasix is illegal." Ladies and gentlemen, the American media at its finest.

Steve Crist Column

PETA’s charges

The racing world awoke Thursday to a huge and ugly mess in the form of charges of animal cruelty and labor violations by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, accompanied by hidden-camera video taken last year by a PETA investigator posing as an employee of the Steve Asmussen stable. It was typically dishonest, sensationalized propaganda from PETA, but was given a veneer of credibility by being leaked to and endorsed by The New York Times, which first reported the story after being given exclusive access to the material.

Nobody expects PETA to be fair or accurate, but the Times is supposed to be better than that and never would have run the story on its own without observing the basic tenets of journalism its readers expect and deserve – putting the taped remarks in context, investigating the assertions or going to the targeted parties for their reaction and explanation. Instead, it avoided any of those basic obligations with a one-sided “scoop” on a third party’s uninformed and unanswered allegations.

This one isn’t going away quickly. The video, however unfair, is sickening in its coarseness and callousness. Racing’s supposed leaders and spokesmen need to formulate a swift and strong response, exposing the more ludicrous insinuations and addressing those with any merit.

Have you ever been around these amazing animals, give them a bath or pick there feet, and clean there sh*t out of there stalls, and been around a shedrow, if not you sure do know it all

Yes, I have. What's your point?

On the lighter side, I laughed at Mike Joyce's tweet:"Asmussen?!?! PETA couldn't investigate Sherriffs? Better headline: 'TIAGO DRINKS FIJI WATER; EBLOUISSANTE NEVER FORCED TO DO ANYTHING, EVER.'"